Rochester cocktail bar earns spot on prestigious national top-10 list

What do Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City and Rochester, Michigan have in common?

Establishments in these cities’ respective downtowns are among 10 of the best new cocktail bars in the United States, according to Spirited Awards, which annually recognizes beverage professionals, products and establishments across every facet of the spirits and cocktail industry on a global scale.

Earning the praise for Rochester is The Eastman Cocktail Bar, which was opened in 2023 by Nathan Hamood and his business partner Trevor Wheeler.

“I’ve been bartending since the early-2000s and I’ve always wanted to be on one of (the Spirited Awards) lists in some form or fashion,” said Wheeler.

“The fact that we got picked among the top 10 new cocktail bars in the Central Region and we’re not in a major-metropolitan city means a lot to us. You look at the list and see Chicago, New York, L.A. then Rochester, Michigan … well it’s really cool to be on there.”

Idea hatched in early 2023

Hamood said plans for The Eastman Cocktail Bar were first discussed in early 2023.

“When Trevor and I first had the conversation, we want to bring a level of service and execution in the cocktail world to Rochester, a city we’ve both invested in for a long time,” Hamood said.

They’ve no doubt succeeded.

“A comment we hear most often is when people walk in and say, ‘This reminds me of a bar that could be in a major city’,” Hamood said. “That we have successfully mimicked a big-city bar in downtown Rochester is pretty cool.”

The establishment’s catchy name has an interesting backstory.

History and mystery

“Jefferson Eastman is the name of the man who built this building back in the 1890s,” Wheeler said. “That Rochester is such a historic town, this building is so old and filled with so much history, we thought it would be a good idea to pay homage to Mr. Eastman by naming the place after him.”

“Plus, we thought Eastman seemed like the perfect, kind of mystery type of name,” Hamood added.

The Eastman blends innovative mixology with a warm, inviting atmosphere, offering patrons an unforgettable experience with every visit.

“We want to be known as a place that serves amazing classic cocktails, but at the same time be inventive and different — push the button a little bit,” Hamood said.

“I love meeting with our staff and bar manager, who are always teaching me new stuff.”

History unearthed

During the renovation of the building, Hamood and Wheeler discovered some compelling pieces of history.

“We found some of the building’s original stock bricks that were made in the 1890s,” Wheeler revealed. “You can actually tell old ones from more-modern ones because you can see where the (1920s) fire happened and they rebuilt using cinder blocks.”

The Spirited Awards are comprised of industry accolades, both U.S. and International, and a few highly coveted, overall awards that transcend regionality including World’s Best Cocktail Bar, World’s Best Cocktail Menu, and Tales Visionary Award.

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.